The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium have no digital nomad visa. EU citizens move freely; everyone else needs a permit based on self-employment or employment. US citizens have the easiest door: DAFT in the Netherlands, with EUR 4,500 invested in their own business. Others use self-employed permits built on a business plan, or have their own company employ them on a Blue Card or highly skilled migrant salary. Living there means local tax and social security.
No nomad visa, but plenty of doors
Portugal, Spain, Croatia and others introduced digital nomad visas. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium did not. They treat a remote worker who wants to live there like any other foreign resident: you need a reason to stay that their immigration law recognises, usually self-employment, employment, study or family.
For EU, EEA and Swiss citizens that is not a problem: they can live and work in all three countries freely and only register with the town hall after three months. For everyone else, the question is which existing permit fits a location-independent career best. The good news is that several do, and for US citizens the Netherlands offers something very close to a nomad visa.
What does not work is living on a tourist stay and working remotely. Beyond the 90-day limit, it quietly creates tax residence, social security duties and, for your employer, possibly a taxable presence in the country.
DAFT, self-employed, start-up
The most options, including DAFT for US citizens.
Self-employed or Blue Card
Strong for high earners and founders.
Professional card or Blue Card
Self-employed route through the regions.
Free movement
Register after three months, nothing more.
Routes in the Netherlands
| Route | Who it suits | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| DAFT (US citizens; similar route for Japanese citizens) | Freelancers and founders | EUR 4,500 invested in your own Dutch business; 2-year permit, renewable |
| Self-employed permit | Freelancers and founders of other nationalities | Business plan scored on experience, plan and added value for the Netherlands |
| Start-up visa | Innovative founders | 1 year with a recognised facilitator, then self-employed or highly skilled migrant |
| Highly skilled migrant | Employees of a recognised Dutch sponsor, including your own B.V. once recognised | EUR 5,942 a month gross from age 30, EUR 4,357 under 30 (2026) |
| Orientation year | Recent graduates of top universities | 1 year to look for work or start a business |
The Netherlands also offers the 30% ruling to qualifying incoming employees, which can make employment by your own B.V. very efficient once you meet the salary norms.
Routes in Luxembourg
- Self-employed permit. For freelancers and founders with a viable business plan, the relevant business permit and sufficient resources.
- EU Blue Card. For highly qualified employees earning around EUR 66,000 a year, including those employed by their own Luxembourg company.
- Salaried worker permit. For employees of a Luxembourg employer, subject to the labour market test.
- Investor permit. Still on the books, but a 2025 bill proposes to abolish it.
- Tax angle. The impatriate regime can exempt 50% of salary for qualifying hires, up to EUR 400,000.
Luxembourg does not want nomads. It wants residents with a real business, and treats them very well.
Routes in Belgium
- Professional card. Non-EU self-employed people, including active company managers, apply through the consulate or an enterprise counter; around three months, assessed by the region.
- Single permit. For employees of a Belgian employer, combining work and residence.
- EU Blue Card. For highly qualified employees above the regional salary threshold.
- Own company route. A Belgian BV can employ you, or you can manage it under a professional card.
Belgium's self-employed route is regional: Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia each decide on the professional card, and each asks whether your activity brings economic value to the region.
What remote workers forget
Tax follows residence, not passports. If you live in the Netherlands, Luxembourg or Belgium for most of the year or have your home there, you become tax resident and are taxed on your worldwide income, including salary from a foreign employer.
Social security follows the place of work. A foreign employer whose employee works from Amsterdam, Luxembourg or Brussels generally has to register there for social security and payroll, unless an EU coordination rule or treaty says otherwise. Long-term remote work can also create a permanent establishment for the employer, which is why many companies refuse it without a local entity or an employer of record.
A US developer freelancing for American clients moves to Rotterdam under DAFT with a Dutch sole proprietorship. A Brazilian product manager employed by a London company moves to Luxembourg after her employer signs her through an employer of record on a Blue Card salary. A Canadian consultant sets up a Brussels BV and applies for a professional card through the consulate.
Which route fits you?
The result updates with each answer.
Which route fits you?
Six questions. You get the routes that work in each country and the one we would start with.
In any of the three countries.
EUR 4,500 and a Dutch business.
Often through your own company.
Residence brings worldwide tax.
Digital nomads in the Benelux: frequent questions
Is there a digital nomad visa in the Netherlands, Luxembourg or Belgium?
No. None of the three countries has a digital nomad or remote work visa as of 2026. Non-EU remote workers need a residence permit based on self-employment, employment with a local employer, or a special route such as DAFT for US citizens.
Can I work remotely as a tourist in the Netherlands, Luxembourg or Belgium?
Short business trips are fine, but living in the country and working remotely on a Schengen short stay is not a residence route, is limited to 90 days in any 180, and can create tax and social security obligations for you and your employer.
What is the DAFT visa?
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty lets US citizens get a two-year Dutch residence permit as self-employed with a minimum investment of EUR 4,500 kept in a Dutch business account. It is the closest thing to a nomad visa in the Benelux.
Can my foreign employer keep paying me if I move?
Only with planning. The employer usually has to register for local payroll and social security, and your presence can create a permanent establishment. Many remote workers switch to an employer of record or their own local company.
What is the easiest route for a freelancer from outside the EU?
US citizens: DAFT in the Netherlands. Others: a self-employed permit in the Netherlands, Luxembourg or Belgium, each requiring a business plan, or being employed by your own local company on an EU Blue Card salary.